Summer
by EclipsingParadise
Summary: It was at age thirteen that Wendy first met him. He was there at the darkest moment of her life to begin what became the best. It was fitting, after all, that it started during summer.


I looked around helplessly at the passing cars and buses hoping to get a glimpse of her snow white hair, or our red car. I could barely see anything from this angle, the teachers blocked a lot. Torn between getting up too look closer and staying put, I remembered mum's rules about roads and sat back down.

Sure, I was thirteen going on fourteen but Grandine had made me promise not to go anywhere other than our designated meeting spot after school. And after all the horror stories she told me about victims of car accidents, being a nurse she saw them up close, I decided that it would be one rule I'd follow unconditionally. But this was unusual;

she had never been late before.

"Stop it Wendy, she's been late before...probably." Sighing to myself, and ignoring the fact I couldn't think of a single time she had been late, I pulled out my book and drew.

I couldn't focus much on what I was doing, my eyes constantly darting to the street, hoping for the familiar flash of red to turn the corner.

I knew I was overreacting, traffic around this time was a thing mum always complained about, but I couldn't shake the feeling something was wrong.

It was when my History teacher, Mr. , told me my aunt was coming I feared for the worst.

Porlyusica was not a 'social' person, or an 'outgoing' person, or 'friendly'... or well, a 'people' person. I still doubted she was an actual person, my mum often liked to joke that Porlyusica was a dragon from another universe that got replaced with her real sister. So there was simply no way she would come to get me unless she had to. And I was terrified to think why she had to.

Speeding up to the curb, the slivery, four door car reflected the sunlight straight into my eyes. Not even giving my eyes time to adjust, Porlyusica grabbed my wrist and all but practically threw me into the back seat.

I didn't notice it then, but I had left my sketch book on the side walk that day. Perhaps I would have been sadder if I hadn't lost something more important. Not that I knew at the time.

Speeding along the freeway, Porlyusica refused to answer a single question, not even a glance was thrown my way.

"Uh..umm...P-porlyusica-san? Where are we going? A-and where's mum?"

I could barely force the last question out of my mouth, terrified of both her and the answer. She grunted in my direction, eyes unblinking. The silence that followed was the tensest one in my life. The rest of the trip was a blur, everything happening in a dizzying fashion. At the time I couldn't care less about the doctors and nurses milling about, until they spoke those dreaded words to Porlyusica. They probably didn't even notice me there, clinging to the end of her red coat.

"Are you Porlyusica Marvell? Sister to the deceased?"

I wasn't an adult, but I also wasn't an idiot.

After that I remember sitting in the sterile white waiting room for ages, playing with the tips of my blue hair.

" _As blue as the deepest ocean"_

My eyes burned from the tears that yearned to be released, and for the first time that day, I let them. The first few that ran down my face were silent, but the longer I sat there, the stronger the possibility I would never see Grandine again. I would never hear her melodic laugh that stopped birds in their tracks, or eat her famous chocolate chip cookies again while she hugged me close and told me everything was going to be okay. I would never…

I was openly sobbing now, knees to my chest and face in my knees. There was nothing delicate about it, they were harsh, ugly sobs fill with heartache and pain. My pain. And yet in that room full of people no one came.

Until he did.

It was dumb, but at the time I had mistook him for my aunt, the blurriness of my eyes only able to make out blotches of pink. After all, I had thought, who else in the damned hospital had pink hair?

Running up to the figure, I wrapped my lithe arms around their frame, openly sobbing into their shirt. It wasn't until I looked up and saw a youthful face instead of my aunts wrinkled one staring down at me did I begin to piece together that I was hugging a stranger.

Instead of pushing me aside, like I thought he would, he pulled me closer and hugged me tightly. It was all I needed to start bawling again. I don't know how long we stood there, crying, I think he was too if the drops the fell on my head were any indication, but eventually he broke the embrace and gently took my hand and lead me towards the plastic seats.

The silence that followed wasn't as awkward as it would have been under different circumstance, on the contrary, I found it peaceful.

"Hey there," the stranger started gently, "Feeling better?"

I couldn't even open my mouth without tears falling down my cheeks.

The pink haired stranger chuckled for some reason, even though he was crying himself, "It's a dumb question isn't it? My name is Natsu by the way, what's yours?"

"W-wendy" I hiccupped. The way He smiled after that was as if I had said the most brilliant thing. His gaze softened as replied with a quiet "That's a cool name."

The silence that followed was, decidedly, awkward. I was pretty sure the blush on my face was permanent, and every now and again my gaze would wonder to our still intertwined hands. It wasn't until he asked what I was here for did I remember the accident. My eyes stung, the salty tears had made my cheeks damp and sticky but yet, even when I though I couldn't, I cried.

"h-hey now! Sorry! I just say what comes to mind, you don't need to answer y'know, man Igneel's gonna kick my ass…" Natsu trailed off, lost in thoughts. I had never seen someone's eyes hold so much sadness. After a moment, he smiled softly at me, "Igneel was the best."

I had no clue who Igneel was but the way Natsu said it, with such conviction, I couldn't help but nod. "so was Grandine." I tearfully supplied. We didn't say anything more after that, really there was nothing else to say in that moment. Porlyusica later found me, asleep on his shoulder, dried tear tracks and red cheeks. Rousing me from my slumber, she held my hand with gentleness I never though she possessed, "come on Wendy it's time to go home…" her voice broke as the turned away, but even with my sleep crusted eyes, I could see the tears falling to the floor.

Shifting in his seat slightly, Natsu gave me a soft wave, one which I half-heartedly returned.

That night, when we left the hospital, I never expected to see two people again. While my mother was gone forever, the other came back into my life as an utter surprise.

It was summer by the time I was moving into Porlyusica's house, all my belongings were neatly stacked in the drive way of the Magnolian house.

"Makarov! Get your lazy ass out here!" my aunt yelled, after a moment of indecision she continued, "and bring the brat!"

Hobbling out from the house next door, Makarov waved his cane dramatically. I had to stifle a laugh at the sight of the tiny man practically waving what could be considered a tree next to him. His cane was easily his height, and then some. "Hold your horses Porlyusica, let the boy at least unpack his own boxes before he gets started on yours."

The unimpressed glaze froze the tiny man in place, "…or he could get yours now and do his later. NATSU!"

"Natsu?"

I know it's an uncommon name but surely it can't be the…oh my goodness it is.

Waltzing out the door, I noticed his spiky mess of pink hair before actually saw the rest of him. As he ran towards her, a light in his eyes that was absent the first time they met, I realised something very important. Something that had me blushing like crazy while my heart practically beat out of my chest as Natsu embraced me.

I may have had a tiny crush on my next-door neighbour.


End file.
